Exclusivity, uniqueness, highest quality, passion, empathy, and responsibility – these deeply rooted values form the foundation of a brand created by Bartosz Skwirtniański and Sebastian Niciński. In a candid conversation, both talk about elite events, inspiring initiatives, and ethical approach in business partnership. DiamArte Club, the company they founded, has just been nominated for The Best & More.
What makes you proud after a year of DiamArte Club’s activity?
Sebastian Niciński: The whole range of activities we’ve carried out in line with our vision and the assumptions adopted at the beginning of our activity. We’ve met many interesting people whom we’ve established important relationships with. We merge the joy of life and experience with participation in charitable activities. Above all, our shared values have survived. We sit at one table, get along perfectly, and move forward together. We create our projects with passion, giving them a unique and individual character. We fulfil variety of dreams, and the satisfaction, delight, joy, sometimes tears of happiness of the recipients are priceless.
Bartosz Skwirtniański: It’s really difficult to measure. The greatest asset for us is always the people we’ve met or are constantly meeting, their values, passions, and experiences. Before we start talking about investments, we want to get a good feel for them. Some share our values and approach to business, which makes us truly happy. We have two offices: one in Warsaw on Grzybowska Street, and the other in Antwerp, on Hoveniersstraat – one of the world’s oldest diamond trading centres.
That’s where you invited members of the Charisma & Vocation Group.
SN: It was a great pleasure, but also a challenging undertaking. Never before had such a large group of 50 people visited the building on the so-called “diamond street” in the heart of the diamond market in Antwerp. Tourists aren’t allowed to enter the building freely for security reasons – it’s only accessible to special guests by invitation. It was a unique time for us and the participants, who had the opportunity to touch something exclusive, inaccessible on a daily basis. Beautiful, unique, transparent and coloured diamonds of various sizes, precious jewellery, the knowledge we gained, and entering the exchange – it was a fascinating experience.
B.S. This year, we’ve put a particular emphasis on corporate social responsibility. We support and publicise projects in need, such as the “I don’t hate, I motivate” campaign. Considering how active we are on the internet and social media, where hate is common, we found that supporting activities related to dealing with hate, especially in the context of conversations during meetings with the young and children, is twice as important. Poland’s among the top ten countries in terms of suicidal issues. Any initiative saving at least one life is invaluable. Ilona Adamska, the author of the campaign does a tremendous job: she travels to schools throughout Poland, organizes meetings with children to show them how to cope with and why hate is so destructive.
I know you contributed to the reconstruction of a house in Stronie Śląskie, belonging to a person affected by the flood.
BS: Yes, it was a difficult time for many people affected by the disaster. Alina Pancer’s (a charismatic woman) initiative inspired us to come and help through physical work to renovate the house of an elderly lady who wouldn’t have been able to deal with it on her own.
What’s your collaboration with Elżbieta Grendecka, the owner of Kuźnia Golfa, all about?
SN: Golf is an elite, exciting, and physically demanding sport. We met Elżbieta Grendecka during a charity project organized by the Medora Foundation called “Ten Typ Tak Ma, że Pomaga”, which supports the construction of artificial hearts for children by the Professor Zbigniew Religa Foundation of Cardiac Surgery Development. Ela is extraordinary and passionate about golf. She inspired and introduced us to this outstanding world. Recently, we were honoured to be one of the sponsors and funders of the main prize at Woman Golf Day, a global celebration of women’s golf.
You also took part in a charity ball for the Farma Życia Foundation in Kraków. You’re both truly modest…
SN: Perhaps we’re not so much modest as convinced that corporate social responsibility should be an integral part of life. Helping others is not about self-promotion, but about providing real support to those in need – not for profit or applause. What we do every day is our passion. And when something comes from passion, it becomes natural. We don’t have to – we simply want to, and that’s what matters most.
BS: We support various projects. We also help individuals. The projects requiring promotion due to their scope will be publicized. The rest remain in our hearts, and we’re not going to discuss them.
Does DiamArte offer lab-grown diamonds?
BS: No, because at the very beginning of our business, we agreed upon the principle of offering only the best quality, authentic, and original products; the diamonds come from a reliable source – the heart of the diamond market in Antwerp – and are always certified by one of the three best certification companies in the world: IGI, GIA, and HRD. We work with representatives of Antwerpsche Diamantkring and the World Federation of Diamond Bourses. Each jewellery design is made on individual demand, with a focus on its uniqueness. We don’t sell online because we treat each transaction individually, taking the customer’s needs into account. We provide concierge services: first, we get to know the person, their character, sensitivity to beauty, needs, and expectations – only then can we create a design that’s tailored to them, unique and personal.
Can diamonds be an investment?
SN: Yes, we offer investment diamonds – they can also be used as jewellery and decorative stones. The diamond investment market is little known and lacks expert knowledge – we have this knowledge and are happy to share it with those interested. Unfortunately, many myths and untrue stories about diamonds have arisen. That’s why an important aspect of our mission is to educate people about the beautiful and unique commodity the diamonds are. We’ve created “Forever Diamonds” – a compendium of knowledge about diamonds and investment opportunities.
You sell other luxury goods as well.
BS: That’s right – our portfolio also includes pearls, watches, works of art, cashmere, gown sand handbags. I’d like to emphasize that we only work with clients having high moral standards and adhere to ethics.
Do you still invest in personal development?
SN: Yes. It’s very important in today’s reality. The pace at which we live, overstimulation and information we absorb, and innovations naturally create a need for personal development. It’s important to be able to live in harmony with oneself. We participate in various workshops, most recently those led by Jakub Bączek. They’re devoted to spirituality, a deeper look at life and ourselves, and the values we hold dear. We don’t treat people as potential clients – we’re interested in their personality and their energy. Time will tell what comes of these relationships.
Bartku, are you still involved in financial consulting?
BS: Yes, my activities overlap. People looking for various forms of security – private or corporate – invest their surpluses. I specialize in loan refinancing and insurance related to succession management and wills. It’s a broad field. My advantage is access to the full range of offers on the Polish market. I’m not affiliated with any particular insurance company, which allows me to select solutions tailored to the individual needs of the client. I’m a licensed credit and insurance advisor and hold certificates from the Polish Financial Supervision Authority.
What about you, Sebastian?
SN: I support many areas and am involved in various initiatives. I’m able to organize my activities in such a way as to combine different priorities. Over the past few months, I’ve been heavily involved in the creation of business clubs – interpersonal relationships are key for me, besides, I like meeting new people. This opens up many opportunities for cooperation and builds lasting bonds. I have more challenges ahead of me.
What are your plans?
BS: We’re about to launch multi-module courses on investing in diamonds. As for international expansion, we’re intensively developing our business throughout Europe.
How do you spend your free time?
BS: We enjoy a variety of activities, but what we enjoy most is meeting people and spending time with them – it gives us great energy. Sometimes the meetings are accompanied by dancing and simply having fun. Sport is a space where passion combines with physical activity – and we often use these forms of spending time.
Dorota Kolano
